LA SCREENINGS: As international buyers get set to touch down in California for their annual trip to the LA Screenings, C21 picks out some of the shows on offer this week and next that are generating early buzz.
The Paper (10×30’)
Distributor: NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution
Producer: Universal Television
Genre: Comedy/mockumentary
They say: “From Greg Daniels and Michael Koman comes a new comedy series set in the same universe as NBC’s Emmy-winning hit series The Office. In this mockumentary, the documentary crew that immortalised Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters.”
We say: This Peacock original is among the most talked-about reboots in recent years, and will undoubtedly be one of the feature attractions at this year’s LA Screenings. Given the success of the US iteration of UK hit The Office, the stakes are high. But with the comedy coming from Daniels, who helmed the original US adaptation, and Nathan For You co-creator Koman, it appears to have all the right creative elements in place.
Lord of the Flies (4×60’)
Distributor: Sony Pictures Television
Producer: Eleven
Genre: Drama
They say: “Lord of the Flies is the story of a group of young schoolchildren who find themselves stranded on a tropical island with no adults, following a deadly plane crash. In an attempt to remain civil, the boys organise themselves, led by Ralph and supported by the group’s intellectual, Piggy. But Jack, who is in charge of signal fire duty, is more interested in hunting and vying for leadership and soon begins to draw other boys away from the order of the group and, ultimately, from hope to tragedy.”
We say: Few pieces of literary IP have as much cultural cachet as William Golding’s 1954 classic Lord of the Flies. This BBC series, written by Jack Thorne (National Treasure, Help, This is England ’90), marks the first time the property has been adapted for television. It’s hard to imagine this won’t be one of the most sought-after titles at this year’s screenings.
Boston Blue
Distributor: Paramount Global Content Distribution
Producer: CBS Studios in association with JBTV
Genre: Scripted drama
They say: “Boston Blue stars Donnie Wahlberg as he reprises his role as NYPD officer Danny Reagan in a universe expansion of the long-running top drama Blue Bloods. In the new drama, Reagan takes a position with Boston PD. Once in Boston, he is paired with detective Lena Peters (Sonequa Martin-Green), the eldest daughter of a prominent law enforcement family.”
We say: Blue Bloods was a beloved police procedural and became a staple of the CBS schedule during its 14-season run. It was also a consistent international seller, and this spin-off promises to hit many of the same notes for buyers, while also taking the franchise in new directions.
The Artist (6×45′)
Distributor: Fifth Season
Producer: The Network Studios
Genre: Period drama
They say: “In the twilight of the Gilded Age, murder strikes the estate of an eccentric and failing tycoon. As he hosts the era’s biggest celebrities, including Thomas Edison, Edgar Degas and Evelyn Nesbit, lies, mystery and ambition collide as the truth is shockingly revealed.”
We say: Aram Rappaport, who writes and directs the series, last year launched his own ad-supported streaming service, The Network, as a way to get indie projects distributed. The approach is targeted, with the platform releasing eight projects annually (two projects released together, four times a year). The show and the streaming model have piqued our interest.
Code of Silence (6×60’)
Distributor: ITV Studios
Producer: Mammoth Screen
Genre: Crime drama
They say: “When the police ask deaf catering worker Alison (Rose Ayling-Ellis) to lip-read criminals’ conversations, she is plunged into an exhilarating new world in this riveting original thriller.”
We say: This BBC drama comes from writer Catherine Moulton and is based on her experiences as someone who is partially deaf and lip-reads. The goal, according to Moulton, was to blend these elements with a crime story to “give a new spin to a familiar genre.”
Sunny Nights (8×60’)
Distributor: Cineflix Rights
Producers: Jungle Entertainment, Echo Lake Entertainment
Genre: Crime drama
They say: “Sunny Nights follows strait-laced American Martin Marvin, who teams up with his loose-cannon sister Vicki to set up a spray tan business in Sydney. Home to one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world, Australia is also home to Martin’s estranged wife, whom he’s determined to win back. But as the siblings attempt to turn their company from a start-up into a multimillion-dollar empire, they become tangled up in Sydney’s criminal underworld.”
We say: Australian drama has been riding a sustained wave of momentum, and this darkly comedic crime drama starring Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth) promises to be another title that will interest buyers. The Stan original counts Trent O’Donnell, director and executive producer of Colin From Accounts, among its execs producers, and the show appears to have the credentials to make as much of a splash as Colin did three years ago.
Las Culturistas Culture Awards
Distributor: Lionsgate Alternative Television
Producer: Lionsgate Alternative Television
Genre: Awards show
They say: “Televised for the first time, the Las Culturistas Culture Awards celebrate culture’s most iconic and consequential moments of the year. With more than 100 unique award categories, live musical performances and unexpected celebrity guests, this show brings culture’s most crucial moments to life.”
We say: This awards show, which came out of Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang’s popular pop-culture podcast of the same name, turned heads last month with its deal to air on Bravo and stream on Peacock.
